Abstract
BACKGROUND: The female condom serves as a dual protective device, preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, unintended pregnancies and other sexually transmitted infections (STIS). When it comes to sexual protection and contraception, the female condom is an essential tool for women's empowerment. Females are more susceptible than males to acquiring STIs due to their biological makeup. Females are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse following substance use. The uptake of female condoms has been a significant challenge in Uganda, and their uptake remains low. Limited research exists on the subject of female condom use in Uganda; hence, this study was undertaken and used the Health Belief Model to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with the use of female condoms among women of reproductive age in Rakai district, Uganda. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used a multistage random sampling method with a sample size of 125 women. Data were gathered using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and assessed with the Health Belief Model against the outcome variable, which was Female Condom utilisation. Log-binomial regression model analysis was done using SPSS version 25. RESULTS: The prevalence of utilising female condoms was 34%. The socio-demographic variables of the respondents that influenced FC utilisation were age (26-35 years) (aPR: 0.84, CI: 0.76-0.93, p < 0.001) and Monthly income (200,000-500,000 Ugx) (aPR: 0.14, CI: 0.03-0.74, p = 0.021). Also, perceived severity (aPR: 2.9, CI: 1.14-7.35, p = 0.026) and perceived benefits (aPR: 6.6, CI: 1.19-36.70, p = 0.031) were significantly associated with the outcome variable. Our significance level was 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of utilisation of female condoms was low; age, religion, marital status, monthly income, perceived severity and benefits were the predictors of female condom use among women of reproductive age. Therefore, health education and awareness should be carried out at the community level to increase the sensitisation of female condoms by emphasising the importance of their use in preventing HIV/AIDS, STIs, and unintended pregnancies.